vanity fair(名利场)-第116章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


complicated　arrangement　to　most　parties。　　It　was　so
that　Crawley　and　his　wife　preferred　to　hire　their　house。
Before　Mr。　Bowls　came　to　preside　over　Miss　Crawley's
house　and　cellar　in　Park　Lane；　that　lady　had　had
for　a　butler　a　Mr。　Raggles；　who　was　born　on　the　family
estate　of　Queen's　Crawley；　and　indeed　was　a　younger
son　of　a　gardener　there。　　By　good　conduct；　a　handsome
person　and　calves；　and　a　grave　demeanour；　Raggles　rose
from　the　knife…board　to　the　footboard　of　the　carriage；
from　the　footboard　to　the　butler's　pantry。　　When　he　had
been　a　certain　number　of　years　at　the　head　of　Miss
Crawley's　establishment；　where　he　had　had　good　wages；
fat　perquisites；　and　plenty　of　opportunities　of　saving；　he
announced　that　he　was　about　to　contract　a　matrimonial
alliance　with　a　late　cook　of　Miss　Crawley's；　who　had
subsisted　in　an　honourable　manner　by　the　exercise　of　a
mangle；　and　the　keeping　of　a　small　greengrocer's　shop　in
the　neighbourhood。　　The　truth　is；　that　the　ceremony　had
been　clandestinely　performed　some　years　back；　although
the　news　of　Mr。　Raggles'　marriage　was　first　brought　to
Miss　Crawley　by　a　little　boy　and　girl　of　seven　and　eight
years　of　age；　whose　continual　presence　in　the　kitchen
had　attracted　the　attention　of　Miss　Briggs。
Mr。　Raggles　then　retired　and　personally　undertook　the
superintendence　of　the　small　shop　and　the　greens。　　He
added　milk　and　cream；　eggs　and　country…fed　pork　to　his
stores；　contenting　himself　whilst　other　retired　butlers
were　vending　spirits　in　public　houses；　by　dealing　in　the
simplest　country　produce。　　And　having　a　good　connection
amongst　the　butlers　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　a
snug　back　parlour　where　he　and　Mrs。　Raggles　received
them；　his　milk；　cream；　and　eggs　got　to　be　adopted　by
many　of　the　fraternity；　and　his　profits　increased　every
year。　　Year　after　year　he　quietly　and　modestly　amassed
money；　and　when　at　length　that　snug　and　complete　bachelor's
　residence　at　No。　　201；　Curzon　Street；　May　Fair；　lately
the　residence　of　the　Honourable　Frederick　Deuceace；
gone　abroad；　with　its　rich　and　appropriate　furniture　by
the　first　makers；　was　brought　to　the　hammer；　who　should
go　in　and　purchase　the　lease　and　furniture　of　the　house
but　Charles　Raggles？　A　part　of　the　money　he　borrowed；　it
is　true；　and　at　rather　a　high　interest；　from　a　brother
butler；　but　the　chief　part　he　paid　down；　and　it　was　with
no　small　pride　that　Mrs。　Raggles　found　herself　sleeping　in
a　bed　of　carved　mahogany；　with　silk　curtains；　with　a
prodigious　cheval　glass　opposite　to　her；　and　a　wardrobe
which　would　contain　her；　and　Raggles；　and　all　the　family。
Of　course；　they　did　not　intend　to　occupy　permanently
an　apartment　so　splendid。　　It　was　in　order　to　let　the　house
again　that　Raggles　purchased　it。　　As　soon　as　a　tenant
was　found；　he　subsided　into　the　greengrocer's　shop　once
more；　but　a　happy　thing　it　was　for　him　to　walk　out　of
that　tenement　and　into　Curzon　Street；　and　there　survey
his　househis　own　housewith　geraniums　in　the
window　and　a　carved　bronze　knocker。　　The　footman
occasionally　lounging　at　the　area　railing；　treated　him　with
respect；　the　cook　took　her　green　stuff　at　his　house　and
called　him　Mr。　Landlord；　and　there　was　not　one　thing
the　tenants　did；　or　one　dish　which　they　had　for　dinner；
that　Raggles　might　not　know　of；　if　he　liked。
He　was　a　good　man；　good　and　happy。　　The　house
brought　him　in　so　handsome　a　yearly　income　that　he　was
determined　to　send　his　children　to　good　schools；　and
accordingly；　regardless　of　expense；　Charles　was　sent　to
boarding　at　Dr。　Swishtail's；　Sugar…cane　Lodge；　and
little　Matilda　to　Miss　Peckover's；　Laurentinum　House；
Clapham。
Raggles　loved　and　adored　the　Crawley　family　as　the
author　of　all　his　prosperity　in　life。　　He　had　a　silhouette　of
his　mistress　in　his　back　shop；　and　a　drawing　of　the
Porter's　Lodge　at　Queen's　Crawley；　done　by　that　spinster
herself　in　India　inkand　the　only　addition　he　made　to
the　decorations　of　the　Curzon　Street　House　was　a　print
of　Queen's　Crawley　in　Hampshire；　the　seat　of　Sir　Walpole
Crawley；　Baronet；　who　was　represented　in　a　gilded　car
drawn　by　six　white　horses；　and　passing　by　a　lake
covered　with　swans；　and　barges　containing　ladies　in　hoops；
and　musicians　with　flags　and　penwigs。　　Indeed　Raggles
thought　there　was　no　such　palace　in　all　the　world；　and
no　such　august　family。
As　luck　would　have　it；　Raggles'　house　in　Curzon　Street
was　to　let　when　Rawdon　and　his　wife　returned　to　London。
The　Colonel　knew　it　and　its　owner　quite　well；　the　latter's
connection　with　the　Crawley　family　had　been　kept　up
constantly；　for　Raggles　helped　Mr。　Bowls　whenever　Miss
Crawley　received　friends。　　And　the　old　man　not　only　let
his　house　to　the　Colonel　but　officiated　as　his　butler
whenever　he　had　company；　Mrs。　Raggles　operating　in　the
kitchen　below　and　sending　up　dinners　of　which　old　Miss
Crawley　herself　might　have　approved。　　This　was　the　way；
then；　Crawley　got　his　house　for　nothing；　for　though
Raggles　had　to　pay　taxes　and　rates；　and　the　interest　of　the
mortgage　to　the　brother　butler；　and　the　insurance　of　his
life；　and　the　charges　for　his　children　at　school；　and　the
value　of　the　meat　and　drink　which　his　own　familyand
for　a　time　that　of　Colonel　Crawley　tooconsumed；　and
though　the　poor　wretch　was　utterly　ruined　by　the
transaction；　his　children　being　flung　on　the　streets；　and　himself
driven　into　the　Fleet　Prison：　　yet　somebody　must　pay　even
for　gentlemen　who　live　for　nothing　a　yearand　so　it　was
this　unlucky　Raggles　was　made　the　representative　of
Colonel　Crawley's　defective　capital。
I　wonder　how　many　families　are　driven　to　roguery　and
to　ruin　by　great　practitioners　in　Crawlers　way？how
many　great　noblemen　rob　their　petty　tradesmen；
condescend　to　swindle　their　poor　retainers　out　of　wretched
little　sums　and　cheat　for　a　few　shillings？　When　we　read
that　a　noble　nobleman　has　left　for　the　Continent；　or　that
another　noble　nobleman　has　an　execution　in　his　house
and　that　one　or　other　owes　six　or　seven　millions；　the
defeat　seems　glorious　even；　and　we　respect　the　victim　in
the　vastness　of　his　ruin。　　But　who　pities　a　poor　barber　who
can't　get　his　money　for　powdering　the　footmen's　heads；
or　a　poor　carpenter　who　has　ruined　himself　by　fixing　up
ornaments　and　pavilions　for　my　lady's　dejeuner；　or　the
poor　devil　of　a　tailor　whom　the　steward　patronizes；　and
who　has　pledged　all　he　is　worth；　and　more；　to　get　the
liveries　ready；　which　my　lord　has　done　him　the　honour
to　bespeak？　When　the　great　house　tumbles　down；　these
miserable　wretches　fall　under　it　unnoticed：　　as　they　say　in
the　old　legends；　before　a　man　goes　to　the　devil　himself；
he　sends　plenty　of　other　souls　thither。
Rawdon　and　his　wife　generously　gave　their　patronage
to　all　such　of　Miss　Crawley's　tradesmen　and　purveyors
as　chose　to　serve　them。　　Some　were　willing；enough；
especially　the　poor　ones。　　It　was　wonderful　to　see　the
pertinacity　with　which　the　washerwoman　from　Tooting
brought　the　cart　every　Saturday；　and　her　bills　week　after　week。
Mr。　Raggles　himself　had　to　supply　the　greengroceries。　　The
bill　for　servants'　porter　at　the　Fortune　of　War　public
house　is　a　curiosity　in　the　chronicles　of　beer。　　Every
servant　also　was　owed　the　greater　part　of　his　wages；　and
thus　kept　up　perforce　an　interest　in　the　house。　　Nobody　in
fact　was　paid。　　Not　the　blacksmith　who　opened　the　lock；
nor　the　glazier　who　mended　the　pane；　nor　the　jobber　who
let　the　carriage；　nor　the　groom　who　drove　it；　nor　the
butcher　who　provided　the　leg　of　mutton；　nor　the　coals
which　roasted　it；　nor　the　cook　who　basted　it；　nor　the
servants　who　ate　it：　　and　this　I　am　given　to　understand　is　not
unfrequently　the　way　in　which　people　live　elegantly　on
nothing　a　year。
In　a　little　town　such　things　cannot　be　done　without
remark。　　We　know　there　the　quantity　of　milk　our
neighbour　takes　and　espy　the　joint　or　the　fowls　which　are
going　in　for　his　dinner。　　So；　probably；　200　and　202　in　Curzon
Street　might　know　what　was　going　on　in　the　house
between　them；　the　servants　communicating　through　the
area…railings；　but　Crawley　and　his　wife　and　his　friends
did　not　know　200　and　202。　　When　you　came　to　201　there
was　a　hearty　welcome；　a　kind　smile；　a　good　dinner；　and
a　jolly　shake　of　the　hand　from　the　host　and　hostess　there；
just　for　all　th